He had found exactly the right spot in the woods. A little clearing, green and dim, encircled by tall trees. A magical, mystery place. He would bring his lovely Helen here. . . This time it was going to be perfect.

When Alicia Bryson returns to her estranged father’s home in a tiny Yorkshire village, she feels burdened by his illness. Her hometown brings back memories of a miserable and violent childhood, and Alicia worries that her young daughter Jenny’s summer will be filled with a similar sense of unhappiness. The town is exactly as she remembered it, the people, the buildings, even the woods. But Alicia’s arrival has not gone unnoticed. There is someone watching her every move. Someone who has a plan of his own. Someone who will not stop until the people he loves most can rest together, in paradise.

Although this was Linda Huber’s first novel I am not new to her as an author, just catching up on what I have already missed. This certainly didn’t feel like a debut novel. It brought up goose bumps in the opening chapters that stayed with me and just simply spiked at heart in my mouth moments throughout the book.

Alicia Bryson was doing what any dutiful daughter would do, she had returned home to be with her father at a time when he could not longer look after himself. But there was something buried deep inside her that was waking up and it was becoming all-consuming. This was horrific in itself but while she was trying to deal with her own past, her eight year-old daughter Jenny had become the obsession of a killer on a mission.

This is such a gripping read as I was seeing this story play out from all angles, including being in the unidentified mind of the killer. Oh yes this person wasn’t new to killing and was in plain sight, they have to be of course to get close to the victim. I really loved the simplicity of the story, the busy pre-occupied mum with a mind whirling in so many directions and a little girl who wants to play.

Like all tragic events it makes you look back at all the clues that are easy to see once you know what you are looking at. Brilliant characters that made me look deeper into them and not just surface judge people. There is tension in the story right from the beginning as the past catches up to present day but the pace simply soars in the last few chapters. Super reading!

HERE IS A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Huber grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, but went to work in Switzerland for a year aged twenty-two, and has lived there ever since. Her day jobs have included working as a physiotherapist in hospitals and schools for handicapped children, and teaching English in a medieval castle. Not to mention several years spent as a full-time mum to two boys, a rescue dog, and a large collection of goldfish and guinea pigs.

Linda now lives in Switzerland, in a little town on the banks of beautiful Lake Constance.

Her debut psychological suspense novel The Paradise Trees was published in 2013, and was followed by The Cold Cold Sea, The Attic Room, Chosen Child, Ward Zero, Baby Dear, and Death Wish. Linda has also had over 50 short stories and articles published, some of which can be read in The Saturday Secret, a charity collection of short (feel-good) stories.

Hi my name is Sue Hampson and as from today I am a Blogger, so here is a little about myself. I have always had a love of reading but it did escalate once I was bought a kindle. I read and listen to about 5 books per week but it is only over this last 18 months that I have realised how important reviewing is to other fellow readers and authors. I believe over time that my reviews have improved same as anything else you do regular. If I like an author's books I tend to buy everything they write, I never use unlimited on Amazon as I am a keeper of books and would hate to return them. I always respect that an author has spent months and months to produce a novel and I won't after taking a night to read it put up a terrible review. I would contact the author or publisher and say this novel isn't for me. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it but I have chosen badly.
I am not perfect, I never have been. I'm the one as a child that always walked into lamp posts and fell over. Mum tried to help and used to put me plasters on my knees before I went out to save me the trouble of coming back in . I have 5 grown up children and 9 grandchildren all which seem to have taken after me bless 'em to the extent that they have set up a joint chat page called Ma's bad Genes!
I love reading, I always have but my punctuation and grammar aren't the best but I do know a good story when I read it. That is what I review on the story.
I do reviews on Amazon.uk, Amazon.com, Goodreads, Netgalley, Twitter with links to publisher and author, my fb book page and Independent authors.
I love lots of genres Criminal Procedural, Mystery &Thrillers, Horror, Romance, Erotica and Fantasy. I do like variety. Feel free to contact me for further information anytime at susanhampson57@hotmail.co.uk